Yamaha confirms Jorge Martin and Ai Ogura for 2027 MotoGP season
Yamaha has officially confirmed the signings of Jorge Martin and Ai Ogura ahead of the regulation reset in 2027.
Yamaha’s new-look factory team has officially been confirmed for the 2027 MotoGP season, one day after it announced the departures of Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins.
2024 MotoGP champion Jorge Martin will replace Quartararo, meaning he will end an up-and-down two years with Aprilia Racing to join the Japanese company.
Joining Martin will be the in-form Ogura, who won last weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix at Assen, becoming the first Japanese rider to win a MotoGP race since 2004. Ogura has thrust himself into title contention following a second place finish in Brno, prior to taking his maiden MotoGP win on Sunday.
Speaking about the signing of both riders, Yamaha Motor Racing Managing Director, Paolo Pavesio, said:
“We are excited to welcome Jorge and Ai to the Yamaha Factory MotoGP Team as we enter a new era in 2027. Securing riders of this calibre underlines our ambition and confidence in the project.
"Jorge has already proven himself as one of the benchmark riders in MotoGP, with the speed, determination, and mindset to fight for wins and World Championships. We expect him to play a key role in driving our performance forward from day one.
"Ai's progression over the past one-and-a-half seasons has been outstanding. His talent, work ethic, and potential make us confident he can grow into one of the top riders in the championship. At the same time, we are especially proud to welcome a Japanese rider into the Yamaha Factory Team."
The arrival of both Martin and Ogura means Yamaha is the third manufacturer to confirm its factory line-up for the 2027 850cc MotoGP era. Ducati has already announced the pairing of Marc Marquez and Pedro Acosta, while Aprilia Racing will field Francesco Bagnaia alongside Marco Bezzecchi.
Honda is expected to sign Quartararo as one of its factory riders for next year, in what will also be a completely new rider pairing. KTM will follow suit with Fabio di Giannantonio and Alex Marquez expected to join the Austrian brand.
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After graduating with a sports journalism degree, Robert joined Crash.net to lead the WorldSBK coverage in 2021, while also providing MotoGP coverage. Fulfilling that role for over three years, Robert was able to put his knowledge about all things racing to the test.
